The Defence Secretary has warned the nation must “be ready” for emergencies.
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting (Image: Getty)
Households were urged to stockpile tinned food, bottled water and first aid kits, as Defence Secretary Wes Streeting warned the nation must “be ready”. Hand sanitiser, blankets and clockwork radios should also be stored for emergencies, according to a new government campaign.
Mr Streeting said businesses and individuals should be prepared “for the eventuality that there may be disruption to essential supply chains caused by hostile state actors or terrorists.” The Government last night called on people across the country to ensure they could survive for at least three days without contact with the outside world.
Officially, the measures are designed to ensure households can cope with extreme weather conditions. But Mr Streeting highlighted the threat from the UK’s enemies when he spoke at the opening of the UK Gun Hall Plant in Telford, Shropshire.
He added: “How would we cope if the payment systems of the supermarkets went down?
“Those are the sorts of everyday challenges and threats we could well face, and it is right we ask the country to be ready for those things and ask everybody to do their bit.”
Former Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer revealed earlier this year that British intelligence believed Russia could launch an attack on a NATO country by 2030, which could place the UK directly in conflict with Vladimir Putin’s regime.
Ministers also last night announced plans for new legislation to protect the UK’s undersea cables and pipelines, which carry data used for online messages, video calls, online banking and shopping, after it emerged Russian fishing trawlers are spying on the vital infrastructure.
The “Be Ready” campaign, overseen by the Cabinet Office, warns every household should ensure they can cope for at least three days of isolation. It urges people to store nine litres of water per person for drinking, with more for other tasks such as cooking and washing, and three days’ worth of tinned or dried food.
In addition, households should stock up on hand sanitiser, wet wipes and bathroom products, torches with batteries, power banks to charge phones and medical devices, copies of important documents such as passports or birth certificates, nappies, pet food, baby formula and essential medicines.
According to the guidance, blankets and sleeping bags should be stored because “homes can become cold very quickly when the heating goes off”.
Security Minister Dan Jarvis said: “Those who can follow this advice should follow this advice. By taking simple steps to be ready for everyday emergencies like severe storms, people can reduce pressure on emergency services, helping them prioritise people who need more support in an emergency.”
A social media and radio advertising campaign will be launched in an attempt to reach audiences who may be particularly at risk in an emergency, such as families with young children and older people.
The Government has also recruited more than five hundred organisations including charities to businesses to spread the message.
Potential dangers from cyber-attacks were highlighted as 32 UK Government services were taken offline, and four were partially unavailable, while work was carried out to address security issues yesterday.
It followed the discovery of a critical security flaw in the programming language PHP, used by the majority of websites including Wikipedia and WordPress
Downing Street said no large UK public-facing critical services have been affected, but some “limited” Government websites have gone dark while issues are resolved.
National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) experts are working with OpenAI, whose technology was used to discover the vulnerabilities, and partners around the globe to address potential problems, a No 10 spokeswoman said.
Tech minister Baroness Lloyd of Effra told the House of Lords: “The information I have is that 32 Government services are unavailable and four are partially unavailable.”
She said that “has largely resulted from precautionary measures taken to protect systems while security updates and mitigations are applied”.
Households Told to Stockpile Food, Water and Medicine in New Warning as Britain Faces Growing Preparedness Concerns
Households across Britain are being urged to think carefully about how they would cope during a major emergency, with renewed warnings highlighting the importance of keeping essential supplies of food, drinking water and medicines at home. The advice has brought emergency preparedness back into the spotlight, prompting questions about whether families are adequately equipped to deal with power cuts, severe weather, transport disruption or other unexpected events.
For many people, the idea of storing emergency supplies may seem unnecessary in everyday life. Supermarkets remain accessible, essential services continue to operate and most households expect electricity, water and communications to be available whenever they need them. However, emergencies can disrupt these services with little warning, leaving families temporarily unable to obtain the goods they normally rely on.
The latest discussion about household preparedness reflects a broader shift in how governments and emergency planners approach resilience. Rather than assuming that public services will always be able to respond immediately, households are encouraged to consider what they would need to remain safe while assistance is organised and normal services are restored.
Importantly, advice to prepare for emergencies does not necessarily mean that a specific disaster is imminent. Keeping basic supplies at home is a precaution intended to reduce vulnerability if an unexpected event occurs.
Why Households Are Being Encouraged to Prepare
Modern households depend on interconnected systems that are often taken for granted. Electricity powers heating systems, refrigerators, lighting and many communications devices. Water supplies are essential for drinking, cooking and personal hygiene, while transport networks allow food, medicines and other necessities to reach shops and pharmacies.
When these systems experience serious disruption, the effects can spread quickly.
A prolonged electricity outage, for example, can prevent people from charging mobile phones, using certain cooking appliances or keeping refrigerated food at a safe temperature. Disruption to transport may make it difficult for shops to receive deliveries, while severe weather can prevent residents from travelling to obtain essential supplies.
People who rely on regular medication or medical equipment may face additional difficulties if normal services are interrupted.
Preparing in advance can help households manage the initial stages of an emergency without immediately needing outside assistance. A modest supply of essential items can provide time to assess the situation, follow official instructions and contact relatives or emergency services when necessary.
The aim is not to encourage panic buying or excessive stockpiling. Instead, households are encouraged to build a practical reserve gradually, using products they already consume and replacing them as they approach their expiry dates.
Food Supplies: What Should Families Keep at Home?
Food is one of the most important considerations when planning for an emergency. Households should consider keeping a selection of non-perishable products that can provide adequate nutrition if shopping becomes temporarily difficult.
Canned vegetables, beans, fish, fruit and soups can be useful because they generally have a long shelf life. Dried foods, crackers, breakfast cereals, nut butters and other suitable packaged products may also provide convenient options.
The most appropriate supplies depend on the household’s size, dietary requirements and available storage space. Families with young children may need additional items, while people with allergies or specific nutritional needs should ensure that their emergency supplies are suitable for them.
It is also important to consider how food will be prepared. Some products can be eaten without cooking, while others require hot water or another reliable preparation method. Households should not use outdoor cooking equipment, camping stoves or generators indoors because of the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Food supplies should be rotated rather than left untouched for years. Using older products during normal meals and replacing them with fresh stock helps ensure that emergency provisions remain usable.
Above all, households should avoid buying substantially more food than they can reasonably store or consume. The objective is to maintain a useful reserve, not to empty supermarket shelves or create shortages for other people.
Why Drinking Water Is Essential
Water is another critical element of emergency planning. People need it for drinking, preparing food and maintaining basic hygiene, and disruption to the public water supply can create serious difficulties.
A practical emergency plan should consider how much drinking water each household member may require and whether additional water would be needed for children, older relatives or people with particular medical needs.
Emergency guidance varies according to the anticipated hazard and local circumstances. Households should therefore follow the recommendations issued by the relevant authorities rather than relying on a single quantity for every possible situation.
Water should be stored in clean, food-safe containers designed for that purpose. Containers must be sealed appropriately and kept away from chemicals, direct sunlight and other sources of contamination.
People should also know how to obtain updates about their local water supply. If authorities issue a notice about contamination or advise residents to boil water, those instructions take priority over general preparedness advice.
Water shortages can be especially difficult for households with limited storage space. Even in those circumstances, having some suitable drinking water available and knowing where to find official information can improve preparedness.
Medicine and Medical Supplies Could Make the Difference
For many households, medicine is just as important as food and water.
People who take regular prescription medication may experience significant problems if they cannot reach a pharmacy or obtain a repeat prescription during an emergency. Keeping track of prescription dates and avoiding unnecessary delays in ordering medication can reduce this risk.
Where appropriate, households should ask their pharmacist or healthcare professional whether they can maintain a reasonable reserve of essential medicines. Prescription rules, storage requirements and the safe duration of use vary, so people should not stockpile medication beyond what is medically appropriate or legally permitted.
A basic first-aid kit can also be useful. Depending on individual needs, this might include sterile dressings, plasters, disposable gloves and other ordinary first-aid supplies.
Families should keep important medical information accessible, including details of allergies, prescriptions and emergency contacts. People who rely on powered medical equipment should ask their healthcare provider about contingency arrangements in the event of an electricity failure.